EAD and EWS-WWF Renew their Partnership to Raise Environmental Awareness

Posted on 18 December 2012

Abu Dhabi, December 17, 2012: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF) have renewed their partnership agreement for another three years to jointly implement environmental education and awareness programmes on the three key themes of Biodiversity, the UAE’s Ecological Footprint and Climate Change.

The agreement was signed by H.E Dr. Jaber Al Jabri, EAD’s Deputy Secretary General and Ms. Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of EWS-WWF at EAD’s headquarters in Al Mamoura building.

The programmes and campaigns will be implemented by EWS-WWF, in cooperation and with support from EAD to raise awareness about the UAE and the region’s rich biodiversity and what can be done to conserve it, as well as important environmental issues such as climate change and natural resource management. Priority will be given to issues where education and awareness raising is particularly needed and can have an impact, for example, information to the general public and private sector on how they can help on the issue of overfishing. .

Focus will be given to the understanding of the UAE’s Ecological Footprint and the need to use natural resources sustainably. This includes reducing energy and water use, which are the main contributors to the high Ecological Footprint of the UAE.

Moreover, the campaigns will raise awareness about the consequences of climate change for the UAE as well as globally and encourage the UAE public to take action to help mitigate these impacts.

As per the agreement, EAD will provide the guidance, support, and scientific expertise needed to effectively implement the EWS-WWF’s work in Abu Dhabi and in the wider UAE. The Agency will also provide financial support to act as ‘seed’ funding to help EWS-WWF get the programmes off the ground.

H.E Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD, said: "Since its establishment in 2001, we have been working very closely with EWS-WWF to achieve our common goals towards achieving sustainability in UAE. Renewing our partnership agreement for another three years will enhance the implementation of our joint environmental education and awareness campaigns.”

Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General, EWS-WWF, said; “We are pleased to continue working closely with EAD to implement important environmental education programmes across the UAE and we are delighted to renew our partnership agreement.. We are grateful for the continued support and guidance from EAD. Throughout the past decade the partnership has resulted in real impact in conservation, such as implementation of effective programmes to tackle climate change, conserve biodiversity and reduce the Ecological Footprint.”